Package of articles of different sizes and shapes



Jan. 28, 1969 H. w. FORRER ET AL 3,424,301

PACKAGE OF ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND SHAPES Filed Feb. 26, 1968 Sheet FIG. 2A

INVENTOR.

E 1 H m n LE OWI/N i R B S EE MM 0A J Jan. 28, 1969 H. w. FORRER ET AL 3,424,301

PACKAGE OF ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND SHAPES Filed Feb. 26. 1968 Sheet 2 FIG. 35 3g 3 INVENTOR. FIG. a 40 5 HOMER w. FORRER 4| JAMES B. FUNKHO ER 44 BYMW ATTORNEY H. w. FORRER ET AL 3,424,301

Jan. 28, 1969 PACKAGE OF ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND SHAPES Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 26. 1968 FIG.5

INVENTOR.

E Ruf/ E0 RH RK' Y ON/ E F N B mv R T E& A WM HMW United States Patent 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wrapper for a row of articles incorporates top, bottom and spaced side Walls, an end panel foldably joined to one end edge of the top wall, and a pair of anchoring panels foldably joined to downwardly and outwardly extending top edge portions of the side walls respectively and to the adjacent end edges of the end panels. A transverse slot is formed in the top wall so as to receive an upwardly protruding portion of an article disposed therebelow. According to a modification of the invention, a cover panel may be foldably joined to the bottom edge of the end panel so as to overlie the top of the end article disposed therebelow and abutment edges may be formed on the bottom portions of the anchoring panels so as to engage the top of the cover panel and to hold the cover panel downwardly in snug engagement with the top of the article disposed therebelow. According to another modification of the invention, an inwardly protruding lip may be formed on the cover panel for engaging the upwardly protruding rim of the article disposed therebelow and web panels may form an interconnection between the anchoring panels and the adjacent edges of the cover panel.

In its broadest aspects, the invention concerns a package including a row of articles enclosed by a wrapper folded therearound, the row of articles including articles of different height arranged with one end article of less height than an adjacent article and the 'wrapper comprising top, bottom and spaced side walls disposed about the row of articles, an end panel foldably joined to one end edge of the top wall of the wrapper so that the lower edge of the end panel is disposed immediately above the part of the article of lesser height than an adjacent article disposed therebelow, the upper edges of the side walls being tapered downwardly and outwardly from the adjacent end edge of the top wall to which the end panel is foldably joined, and separate anchoring panels foldably joined to the tapered edges of the side walls respectively and to the adjacent side edges of the end panel. According to modifications of the invention, a transverse slot may be formed in the top wall for receiving an upwardly protruding portion of an article disposed therebelow or, if desired, a cover panel may be foldably joined to the bottom edge of the end panel so as to overlie the article disposed therebelow and the cover panel may be held in its normal horizontal position by abutment edges of the anchoring panels which engage the top of the cover panel. In addition, retaining means may be provided in the cover panel, for instance, a lip or one or more retaining tabs may be formed on the cover panel and arranged to engage an upwardly extending rim of an article disposed therebelow so as to aid in holding the article within the wrapper and web panels may form interconnections between the anclhoring panels and the side edges of the cover panel where substantial package security is desired. Similarly, if the article [below the cover panel is provided with an upstanding neck portion, a retaining aperture may be formed in the cover panel for receiving such neck portion so as to secure the article against dislodgernent through the end of the wrapper.

ice

Fora better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank constructed according to one form of the invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a package formed from the blank shown in FIG. 1 and which is adapted particularly for use in conjunction with packaging articles such as milk or juice cartons formed of paperboard and having a square cross-sectional configuration; FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a primary juice or milk carton shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank constructed according to a modification of the invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a package formed using the blank shown in FIG. 3 and which is applicable to cylindrical packages the upper ends of which do not incorporate peripheral flanges and wherein the two items shown in the package of FIG. 4 are of different heights; FIG. 3B is a perspective view of an article shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank constructed according to another modification of the invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a package formed from a blank depicted in FIG. 5 and wherein the packaged items incorporate a tall flanged cylindrical can together with a similar flanged cylindrical can of less height, such a can being shown in perspective in FIG. 5C.

With reference to FIG. 1 the numeral 1 designates the top wall of the wrapper to which the side walls 2 and 3 are foldably joined along fold lines 4 and 5 respectively. The bottom wall of the wrapper is a composite structure and comprises a lap panel 6 foldalbly joined along fold line 7 to the bottom edge of side wall 2 together with another lap panel 8 foldably joined along fold line 9 to the bottom edge of side wall 3.

For the purpose of interconnecting the lap panels 6 and 8 so as to form a composite structure, hook-shaped locking tabs 10 and 11 are formed along the outer edge of lap panel 6 and locking slots 12 and 13 are formed in lap panel 8 in general coincidence with fold line 14 which defines a guide panel 15 forming a portion of lap panel 8.

In assembling the package, the articles to be packaged are formed in a row and the wrapper of FIG. 1 is secured thereabout by simply inserting the locking tabs 10 and '11 into the locking slots 112 and 13 respectively. Formation of the bottom of the carton is facilitated by folding the guide panel 15 out of the plane of the main body portion of lap panel 8 as is well known.

Since the wrapper of FIG. 1 is specially adapted for use in conjunction with two or more packages such, for example, as paperboard milk or juice cartons of different heights such as that shown in FIG. 2A and because packages of this type frequently incorporate an upwardly pro truding portion, a transverse slot designated by the numeral 16 is formed in the top panel 1 and serves to receive therein the upwardly protruding portion P of a gable type carton disposed therebelow. Of course the protruding portion P is formed on a tall item disposed below the top panel 1.

For the purpose of engaging the upwardly protruding portion P of an article such as A1 of lesser hei ht, an end panel 17 is foldably joined along the end edge 18 of top wall 1. End panel 17 is held in its normal position depicted in FIG. 2 by a pair of anchoring panels 19 and 20 which are foldably joined to the side edges 21 and 22 of end panel 17 respectively. According to a feature of the invention, the upper edge portions 23 and 24 of side walls 2 and 3 are tapered downwardly and outwardly as best shown in FIG. 2. In this manner the sides of the primary package are protected completely by the outwardly extending parts of side walls 2 and 3. Furthermore, the anchoring panels 19 and 20 are disposed in fiat face contacting relation to the inner surfaces of the side walls 2 and 3 respectively. Thus as is apparent particularly from FIG. 2 the end article A1, being of lesser height than the article A, is securely held within the wrapper primarily by means of the end panel .17. Thus according to this invention articles of different size are arranged for safe packaging in a single wrapper and are held therein in a secure fashion.

The modification of the invention depicted in FIGS. 3, 3A, and 4 is Well suited for cylindrical unffanged articles of different heights such for example as that depicted at B in FIG. 3B. This package comprises a top wall 25, to the side edges 26 and 27 of which a pair of upper outwardly flaring side wall portions 28 and 29 are folda'bly joined. These side wall portions 28 and 29 are disposed at a slight angle to the main side walls 30 and 31 and are fold ably joined thereto respectively along fold lines 32 and 33 and are for the purpose of accommodating the rim portion designated by the R in FIG. 3B.

The bottom of the wrapper is a composite structure comprising lap panels 34 and 35 foldably joined to the bottom edges of side Walls 30 and 31 along fold lines 36 and 37 respectively.

For the purpose of tightening the wrapper depicted in FIG. 3 about a plurality of articles such as B and B1 arranged in a row, tightening apertures 38 and 39 are formed in lap panel 34 and tightening apertures 40 and 41 are formed in lap panel 35. Suitable machine elements enter these tightening apertures and draw the wrapper tight in a manner well known in the art, it being understood that the V-shaped slots 42 and 43 coincide approximately with the tightening apertures 40 and 41 respectively and facilitate manipulation thereof.

In order to secure the wrapper once it is tightened about the group of articles, a looking tab 44 is driven into the aperture defined by the retaining tab 45 and the package is thus completed.

For securely holding the article B within the wrapper, apertures 46 and 47 are formed primarily within the upper portions 28 and 29 respectively of the side walls of the wrapper and receive diametrically opposed portions of the top of article B as is best shown in FIG. 4. In like fashion apertures 48 and 49 are formed within the bottom portions of side walls 30 and 31 and serve to receive diametrically opposed bottom portions of article B as is best shown in FIG. 4. In order to hold an article of lesser height than article B such as the short cylindrical article B1 in the wrapper, an end panel 50 is foldably joined along the end edge 51 of top panel 25 and a pair of anchoring panels 52 and 53 are foldably joined to the side edges 54 and 55 respectively of end panel 50 and serve to hold the end panel 50 so that its lower edge 56 overlies the top of short article B1. Anchoring panels 52 and 53 are foldably joined to the upper portions 28, 29 of the side walls along downwardly and outwardly tapered edges 57 and 58.

To aid in holding the article B1 against upward movement and to provide a cover therefor, a cover panel 59 is foldbly joined along fold line 56 to the bottom edge of end panel 50. Cover panel 59 is completely severed from anchoring panel 52 by slit 60 and from anchoring panel 53 by slit 61.

When the wrapper is assembled as depicted in FIG. 4 cover panel 59 is held in any desired position such for example as that depicted by the abutment edges 62 and 63 which constitute the lower edge portions of anchoring panels 52 and 53 respectively as is best shown in FIG. 4.

As an aid in holding the shorter cylindrical article B1 within the wrapper, a corner slit 64 is formed in side wall 30 and in general coincidence with the fold line 36 and a similar slit 65 is formed in the bottom portion of side wall 31 in general coincidence with the fold line 37. The action of slits 64 and 65 is well known and the function thereof is obvious from FIG. 4.

From the above description pertaining to the modifica- 4 tion of the invention depicted in FIGS. 3 3B, and 4, it is apparent that this particular modification of the invention is Well adapted for use in conjunction with unflanged cylindrical articles of different heights.

The modification of the invention depicted in FIGS. 5, 5C and 6 is well suited for use in conjunction with a row of flanged cylindrical items such as cans which are of different heights. In FIG. 5 the top wall of the wrapper is designated by the numeral 66 and the side walls 67 and 68 are foldably joined to the side edges of top wall 66 along fold lines 69 and 70 respectively. The bottom wall of the wrapper is a composite structure comprising a lap panel 71 foldably joined along {old line 72 to the bottom edge of side wall 67 together with a lap panel 72a foldably joined along fold line 73 to the bottom edge of side wall 68. Corner slits 74 and 75 are formed at the top edges of the side walls 67 and 68 and serve to receive the upper portions of a tall cylindrical article such as a can C. Similar apertures 76 and 77 formed in the lower portions of side walls 67 and 68 respectively serve to receive the lower portions of a tall article such as can C. Preferably lap panels 71 and 72a are secured together by the application of glue in a manner well known in the art. Of course other means may be used for securing the lap panels 71 and 72a such as the means disclosed in conjunction with the above described modifications of the invention.

In order to aid in securing the short can C1 within the wrapper, an end panel 78 is foldably joined along fold line 79 to the end edge of top wall 66. End panel 78 is held in any desired position such as that depicted in FIG. 6 by anchoring panels 80 and 81 which are foldably joined along the side edges 82 and 83 to the end panel 78. Furthermore, the anchoring panels 80 and 81 are foldably joined to the downwardly and outwardly tapered edge portions 84 and 85 of side walls 67 and 68 respectively. As is obvious from FIG. 6 the lower portions of the end panel 78 are disposed immediately above and in overlying relation to the upper part of can C1.

Overlying can C1 is a cover panel 86 which is foldably joined to end panel 78 along angularly disposed fold lines 87 and 88 and an inwardly extending lip 89 is formed along the back edge of cover panel 86, the lip end panel 78. As is obvious from FIG. 6, the lip 89 overlies the can C1 and is arranged appropriately so as to engage the upwardly protruding fiange portion designated by the letter F and effectively aids in holding the can C1 against outward dislodgement through the end of the wrapper.

The side edges 90 and 91 of cover panel 86 are interconnected with a pair of vertically disposed web panels 92 and 93 which are disposed in flat face contacting relation to the side walls 67 and 68 respectively and are foldably adjoined to the anchoring panels 80 and 81 along fold lines 94 and 95 respectively so that the cover panel is securely held in any desired position such as that depicted in FIG. 6 and so that the lip 89 securely engages the flange F of the short article C1.

In order to bias the lip 89 downwardly into secure engagement with the scan C1, angularly disposed score lines 96 and 97 are formed in cover panel 86 and cooperate with score lines 87 and 88 to impart a downward tilt to lip 89. Scores 96 and 97 preferably are connected to the ends of scores 87 and 88 and of fold lines 90 and 91 as shown in FIG. 5.

The invention is applicable for packaging articles of different sizes as is obvious from the drawings insofar as height and diameter are concerned and also may be employed in packaging articles of different types such as for special promotions and the like.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A package comprising a row of articles enclosed by a wrapper folded and secured therearound, the row including articles of different heights and one end article being of less height than the adjacent article, said wrapper comprising top, bottom and spaced parallel side walls disposed about the row of articles, an end panel foldably joined to the end edge of said top wall adjacent said one end article, the lower edge of said end panel being disposed immediately above a part of said one end article, the upper edges of said parallel side walls being tapered downwardly and outwardly only in the direction of the end of the wrapper from the adjacent end edge of said top wall to which said end panel is folda bly joined, and anchoring panels foldably joined to said tapered edges of said parallel side walls respectively and to the adjacent side edges respectively of said end panel, said anchoring panels being elfective to hold said end panel at a predetermined angle to said top wall.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein said anchoring panels are disposed in flat face contacting relation to their associated side walls respectively and wherein said end panel is substantially vertical with vertical parallel side edges.

3. A package according to claim 1 wherein a transverse slot is formed in said top wall in substantially parallel relation to the end edges of said top wall for receiving an upwardly protruding portion of one of the articles other than said end article of lesser height than the article adjacent thereto.

4. A package according to claim 1 wherein a cover panel is foldably adjoined to the bottom edge of said end panel and disposed in overlying relation to said end article of lesser height than the article adjacent thereto.

5. A package according to claim 4 wherein said anchoring panels are formed with abutment edges overlying and parallel with said cover panel whereby said cover panel is held in snug engagement with the top of said end article disposed therebelow.

6. A package according to claim 4 wherein said cover panel is provided with retaining means for engaging and holding said end article against dislodgement through the end of the wrapper.

7. A package according to claim 4 wherein the top of said end article disposed below said cover panel is recessed downwardly with an upwardly extending peripheral rim portion and wherein said cover panel is provided with an inwardly extending article holding lip engagement With said rim portion of said end article.

8. A package according to claim 7 wherein sa d lip is disposed adjacent the fold line between said end panel and said cover panel and wherein said lip is struck at least in part from said end panel.

9. A package according to claim 7 wherein said cover panel is foldably joined to said end panel along fold lines extending from the extremities of said lip to the adjacent side edges of said end panel respectively and wherein said fold lines are angularly disposed with respect to each other.

10. A package according to claim 9 wherein a pair of score lines are formed in said cover panel and interconnected with the ends of said fold lines for tilting said lip downwardly into secure engagement with the top of the end article disposed therebelow.

11. A package according to claim 4 wherein the lower edges of said anchoring panels are disposed below the side edges of said cover panel and wherein web panels are foldably joined to said lower edges respectively and to the adjacent end edges of said cover panel respectively, said web panels being disposed in flat face contacting relation to their associated anchoring panels respectively.

12. A package comprising a row of articles enclosed by a wrapper folded and secured therearound, the row including articles of dilferent heights and one end article being of less height than the adjacent article, said wrapper comprising top, bottom and spaced parallel side walls disposed about the row of articles, an end panel foldably joined to the end edge of said top wall adjacent said one end article, the lower edge of said end panel being disposed immediately above a part of said one end article and anchoring panels foldably joined to said tapered edges of said parallel side walls respectively and to the adjacent side edges respectively of said end panel, said anchoring panels being effective to hold said end panel at a predetermined angle to said top wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,358,523 9/1944 McKinley 2O647 2,687,248 8/1954 Freeman 20-647 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 229-87 

